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Posted by ivyhouse (U13788805) on Saturday, 15th May 2010
A warning to anyone using compost containing potato peelings. I now have six new plants pushing their way through my carrots. Didn't believe it possible until I dug one up.
it is a bad practice to put veg waste from outside the garden into the compost heap as you can introduce pests and diseases particularly from root veg unless your heap gets to a temperature sufficent to pastuerise it
Particularly potato peelings where you can introduce PCN which is a big problem and onion white rot from the skins
My new allotment was obviously used for lots of potatoes last year and the left over ones which are growing now in every bed are some of the worst "weeds" I have to deal with.
I always seive my compost and throw the larger bits that won't seive back in my next heap. This way I only get the actual proper composted stuff, and not semi-alive peelings. Maybe worth a go next time to avoid the odd bit of potatoe into your veg beds?
Supaivyhouse
I found this out to my cost too last year when the potato plants were growing out of my compost bin! I then had to sift through the bin and remove as many peelings as possible. Here on the Boards someone suggested microwaving potato peelings before putting them in the compost but I now just avoid any problems by binning them with the rubbish. Like Ian W though, I have a few growing in various beds where some weren't picked last year.
I can't imagine tediously going through my veg waste so meticulously and having to filter out dubious material, it would spoil the fun of the miracle of composting
I chuck it all in and when I spot a foreigner germinating on the plot I weed it out along with the couch grass, chickweed, fat hen, dandelions, convolvulus....etc
Does the compost accelerator like Garotte or similar kill off the plants and stop them growing in the coompost heap
I would never have imagined that potatoes could grow from peelings! That is amazing. I always sieve the compost from my bin so luckily that has never happened to me.
It's all a learning curve isn't it. Thanks for the replies. I was tempted to just empty my kitchen caddy into a hole, as I've seen suggested, for the beans so at least I've avoided the problem there.
Whenever I get potatoes growing in the compost,I just let them grow a while and then pull of the tops and chuck them back on the heap,they soon get tired of growing and then don't produce any tubers.
, in reply to message 10.
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Wednesday, 19th May 2010
Exactly netherfield that's what I do too, I've yet to see any potatoes at the end of the shoot.
, in reply to message 11.
Posted by jollystrawberry8 (U14057234) on Wednesday, 19th May 2010
My OH tells me that long long ago in his youth when his family were very poor they always planted potato peelings and had very good crops from them.
, in reply to message 12.
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Wednesday, 19th May 2010
It must be possible with a thick peel that has a good eye in it and left long enough and treated well in otherwise good potato growing conditions.
I was looking at this thread and thinking "I've never had that problem", and then I realised it's because I never peel my spuds! We eat them with skins - roasted, boiled, baked, whatever. Same with carrots.
(I do wash them first )
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